Sephora

Stores & Services
Find a Sephora

Happening at Sephora

View all

Services

From makeovers to personalized skincare consultations

Free Classes

Get inspired, play with products & learn new skills

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Post in Makeup Is Life
|
Anonymous Insider

No more chemo!

Hello! My name is Shandy, I'm 18 years old from Colorado and I just finished my last round of chemotherapy! I was diagnosed with hcc cancer at Christmas. I just finished my fourth round of chemotherapy and am in the process of getting a liver transplant. I haven't worn any makeup since before I was diagnosed and even then I usually only wore mascara. I'm looking for any makeup products you would suggest for someone finishing up chemo. My skin/hair is pretty damaged even just after four rounds of chemo so I was wondering if there were any products people would recommend I use. My eyebrows and eyelashes are really splotchy as some of them have fallen off during my treatment. Maybe some good fake eyelashes I can use to replicate how I liked my eyelashes before. And if anyone knows if there are any ways to speed up hair growth after chemo I would really appreciate any tips I can get. Ooh any if anybody has tips on how to draw eyebrows on to look natural.

Re: No more chemo!

Hi @Anonymous ,  Congrats on finishing your last round of chemo!!  I wonder if something like Grande Lash Lash Enhancing Serum might help with the regrowth of your natural lashes?  My lashes were a bit sparse and that has helped me, but I haven't been in your specific situation.  If you want to go with strictly clean beauty (which may be best given the chemicals that your body has already endured with the chemo) then try an organic castor oil for lash & brow growth.  I'm wishing you all the best in your recovery!!

Re: No more chemo!

@Shandelier you could try using some Castor oil, which I've heard helps with lash and brow hair growth. You can pick some up on amazon or use the BRIOGEO - B. Well Organic + Cold-Pressed 100% Castor Oil. 

The brand Philip Kingsley has a No Scent No Color Shampoo & Conditioner that was created to be gentle enough for people going through chemo and those with sensitive scalps. You could also try the BRIOGEO - Be Gentle Be Kind™ Kale + Apple Replenishing Superfood Conditioner and Briogeo Superfoods Matcha + Apple Replenishing Shampoo.

I really enjoy First Aid Beauty, they have really simple but effective products such as the FIRST AID BEAUTY - Ultra Repair® Hydrating Serum FIRST AID BEAUTY - Ultra Repair® Cream Intense Hydration First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 5 oz/ 150 mL

FAB also recently came out with the FIRST AID BEAUTY - Ultra Repair BarriAIR Cream

which is supposed to help rebuild your skin's barrier. 

If you want some tint to your lips but want it them to be nourished I would recommend the FRESH - Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15.

They even have some kits if you want to try different colors.

Last, for SPF I like the JOSIE MARAN - Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47.

I think most important of all is to avoid anything drying or irritating to your skin, like chemical or physical exfoliations (glycolic acid, lactic acid, etc), denatured alcohol, or even Vitamin C since your skin is in such a delicate state.

 

Hope this helps!

Anonymous Insider

Re: No more chemo!

My amazon cart is full and I will be ordering these within an hour! This is a HUGE help thank you!!!

Re: No more chemo!

Wow, congrats @Shandelier 💪 we're all so happy for you and rooting for you!!!

 

I also second what @missjeanie  said about finding a very gentle skincare routine since you just finished chemo and your skin is really sensitive. Find a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen first, ideally free of fragrance, essential oils, and maybe sd/denatured alcohol/menthol in the beginning since those are the more common culprits of irritation.

 

La Roche-Posay, CeraVe, Avene, DHC, First Aid Beauty, The Ordinary, Hada Labo, Clinique Drunk Elephant, Josie Maran, Youth To The People, Tatcha are some brands that have some good products for sensitive skin. A mix of drugstore to luxury brands. Supergoop and Coola are also more SPF options. 

 

Cleansers:

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Face Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

CeraVe Hydrating cleanser

 

Moisturizers:

You can probably start from any from LRP, Cerave, Avene.

Once you find a moisturizer you like, if you end up needing more moisture, facial oils are great to use alone, layer before/over or mix into your moisturizer.

 

Some facial oils: 

The Ordinary Squalane

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL

BRIOGEO - B. Well Organic + Cold-Pressed 100% Castor Oil

Biossance 100% Sugarcane Squalane Oil 3.4 oz / 100 mL

JOSIE MARAN - 100 percent Pure Argan Oil

 

For makeup removal, I can't recommend CLINIQUE Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm Makeup Remover 3.8 oz/ 125 mL enough (melt some between your fingers, then massage onto dry face to loosen makeup, then add water and massage to emulsify). I think they have a cleansing oil too. Hada Labo Gokujyun Cleansing Oil is another fav. Facial oils could be makeup removers too. But for balms and oil cleansers in general, you may need to follow up with a regular cleanser to wash it all off.

 

Sorry, didn't have much time to organize this post. Wishing you best of luck!

Anonymous Insider

Re: No more chemo!

Wow wow wow! I'm really speechless at how much help I've gotten. I know that this will be really great help so thank you so so much!!

Re: No more chemo!

Congratulations! @Anonymous Benefit Cosmetics has brow kits that come with stencils to help you shape your brows to the look that you would like. Urban Decay also has a Brow Guide Stencil Set. I agree with @RebeccaBT to check out the Clean by Sephora products to find the safest products for your skin. I hope that these suggestions help you on your road to recovery and I wish you the best of luck! 🙂

 

Best,

Zakiya

Anonymous Insider

Re: No more chemo!

Thanks so much!

Re: No more chemo!

Hi @Anonymous,

 

Congratulations! What an amazing achievement! I recommend checking out some of our "Clean at Sephora" brands. When you spot our Clean seal, you can be sure we’ve checked that this brand’s product is made without the ingredients most like to avoid. Clean at Sephora™ is formulated without: Sulfates SLS and SLES, parabens, formaldehydes, formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, triclosan, triclocarban. All skin care, hair, and makeup brands with the Clean Seal have less than one percent of synthetic fragrances. I recommend browsing these products and then consulting with your Physcican once you have found some products you want to try! Again, congratulations and I wish you the best of luck!

 

Best,
Rebecca

Anonymous Insider

Re: No more chemo!

Thank you so much!! That is exactly what I'm looking for!

Re: No more chemo!

I’m so, so happy for you @Anonymous !!! Ring that bell! If you look on YouTube and search for “Sephora Brave Beauty” there are some wonderful videos Sephora has made for survivors who are dealing with a lot of the after effects of treatment. I’m an 8-year survivor (colon and angio sarcoma), welcome to the club! Hugs!!!

Anonymous Insider

Re: No more chemo!

These will be a huge help, thanks! Feels nice to finally have made it to the club!

Re: No more chemo!

Congratulations @Anonymous !! What a wonderful accomplishment, I'm so happy that you're on the road to recovery!  I don't have personal experience with these struggles, but would suggest you check out the Look Good, Feel Better program.  My mother had a chance to participate in a workshop ( I sat on the sidelines watching) before she passed away and it really helped her out not only with different make up and hair styling ideas, but she got to chat with other women and learn some tips and tricks from them.  The experience alone gave her a great boost of confidence.

For my two cents... I'd start off with some very gentle skincare to allow your skin to get back into a 'normal' state before going to hard.  Laroche posay was a brand recommended to my mother, as well as simply using some J&J baby washes/creams.

Congratulations again, I hope you know how strong you are and what an inspiration to others to continue fighting.

Anonymous Insider

Re: No more chemo!

Wow! Looks like they even have a teen Look Good, Feel Better program. Thanks for sharing this resource!

Conversation Stats
  • 13 replies
  • 3887 views
  • 57 Hearts Given
  • 8 Contributors
testing